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Report suggests relaxing ratios and giving childminder agencies greater powers will ease childcare costs

A new report looking at ways to reform childcare recommends staff: child ratios be relaxed further than the proposed 1:5 in 'good' and 'outstanding' nurseries and suggests childminder agencies take on a larger role within the sector.
The Policy Exchange suggests relaxing staff: child ratios past Government proposals would ease childcare costs, PHOTO Policy Exchange
The Policy Exchange suggests relaxing staff: child ratios past Government proposals would ease childcare costs, PHOTO Policy Exchange

Within its Better Childcare – putting families first report, Policy Exchange says that 'good settings' wanting to further relax ratios should be able to do so, but with Ofsted approval.

It explains that this could be accomplished by changing wording in EYFS guidance from allowing settings to relax ratios "in exceptional circumstances" to 'where there is a legitimate educational or developmental aim.'

The authors of the report include former secretary of state for education, Ruth Kelly.

It is the second think tank to back the Government’s proposal to reduce staff: child ratios in childcare settings in England. Last month, a report from the Institute of Economic Affairs appeared to suggest it was in favour of the Government reducing childcare ratios.

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